Motor control



` J. F. TRITLE.

MOTOR CONTROL.

APPucATxorg FILED JUNE 6,1919.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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E 5s L-J Inventor-z John F. Trtle y His lttorhe g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. TRITLE, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MOTOR CONTROL.

Application filed June 6,

T 0 all 'whom t mag/concern:

Be it known that I, J oHN F. TRITLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor Controls, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates t the control ot' electric motors and it provides improved means whereby the motors are started and stopped and generally controlled in a safe, reliable and efficient manner.

More particularly, my invention relates to systems of motor control wherein the motors are automatically accelerated at a speed determined by the current taken by the motors. and it provides improved means where.- by the acceleration of the motors is effected automatically in accordance with the current taken by the motors or the acceleration is effected at the will of `the operator irrespective of the current taken by the motors, as

. desired.

(lne of the objects of my invention is to provide a system ot the character indicated which shall be simple in arrangement and el'ective and reliable in operation.

In order to accelerate electric motors smoothly and without taking an excessive current from the source of supply, it is customary to provide automatic control arrangements whereby the motors increase in speed step by step in accordance with the motor current, and whereby the automatic acceleration is arrested at each step until the motor current has dropped to a predetermined value. The well known current limit throttle is ordinarily provided for et fecting such an automatic. progression under the control of the motor current. However, abnormal service conditions, such as are encountered by heavy grades where the motors are used to drive a car or locomotive, make it advisable that the motor controller be advanced even though the current on any definite step in the progression has not dropped to the predetermined value, and my invention provides improved means including an improved current limit throttle, sometimes called a notching relay?, whereby the resistance governing switches ordinarily provided for effecting the acceleration of the motors may be independently and successively closed at the will of the operator by Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 19.22.

1919. seria1No.3o2,24e.

short-circuiting the throttle contacts tem porarily. I provide that the motor controller can advance one step in response to the short-circuiting of the throttle contacts and prevent the motor controller from completing the progression or resuming the automatic operation unt-il the operator desires. By means ot the provision of my improved notching relay, the motor controller can be advanced one step and one only irrespective of the motor current, the notching-up being taken away from the notching relay and thus made independent thereof until the operator desires to restore it, thereby combining all the advantages of manual control with the advantages of automatic control. Since the arrangement is suc-h that the operator must release the mechanism which short-circuits the throttle contacts, and therefore temporarily at least restore control to the throttle before another step can be taken, it is practically impossible to obtain an excessively high rate of notching by means of the manual control. For a. better understanding of my invention and further objects which I have obtained, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved notching relay; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a diagram of a motor control system embodying my invention; andcxFig. 4 is a simplified diagram showing onlythe motor circuits.

For the sake of an easy understanding of my invention, I have shown it embodied in a system of control described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,310,040, dated July 15, 1919.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the notching relay comprises a large wire coil 57 havin terminals 67 and 68 respectively. This coi is in series with the motor armatures and energized responsively to the motor current wound on the same core as the series coil 57 is a shunt coil 56 which is adapted to assist the series coil `57 to positively attract the armature 69. When the motor controller starts to take a step, the two coils 57 and 56 cooperate in the manner set forth in my Patent No. 1,310,040, dated July 15, 1919. The armature 69 is biased to the unattracted position to close the circuit making v the circuit making eontaets 66.

at which the armature 69 iisrmittei" 55. of motor control in which 60 tures of the two motors 05 txoller and LB and LB? the i contacts 58 by means of tlie spring; 7th the pull of which may be Yaried by means ol; the adjusting screw 7l. Mounted on the base 72 as the coils 56 and el" are the ooi 5 60 and 67 Wliieli are provided lor ei'leeting 16 nected in series relation and the oeil G0 is adapted to be independently energized at the will of the operator so as to a' L t the armature 61 and by reason oiVE tl ne lioolr making engagement with tlie ei-:tensioi'i 20 of the armature 69 to complete a short-ein cuit around the contacts so as eanse the controller to take a complete sten' il: of the value of the motor in oase the motor current is ebow move to its iinattraoted position and close the contacte so to perini motor controller to advance another e,- the short-circuit around eontaotsi cluding the eoiitaete G6, armatore in frame 75,armatnre EL liool and entension 62 of the armature @9, permits tlie inotei' controller to advanoe another step relogaidless of the motor currentn However, but one step can he taken, as will be pointed ont later when the operation el niy invention is ein plained. It will be observed that when the coil 60 is energized, the meta-lli@ plate i5 which joins the poleipieees on Wliieli the coils 60 and 6'? are Wound. provides a sliiint path for a sufficient part of tlie i'iiii; setiiio by the coil GO whereby the armature E55 willl be maintained in the attracted position it has been previously nim/ed to the attracted position by'tlie eneigieation olf the-Coil 6'?,

even. after the coil 67 is deenergi'ized. This providesan arrangement as will be later en plained `fully when the operation oit my in- ,vention is explained, whereby lint one eten at a timemajv be taken tliroiigli the eiiiergization 'of the coil 60 to sliiiiit the een* tacts 58. n l

Looking at Fige.3 and et,

that I have shown la series@- -l two motors employed. It will he iinrlerstoo however, that my invention ,is in no t -the particular system employe-rl or number of motors eontrolleo.

n, l u and A While the nelelev Wnioli siil as hereinafter deseriloed desibaY and F. RS designates the as a whole, MC indicates the ineste e line lirealers. represents a potential :relay which is deenergized so as to return the controller to the oil' position upon the lailiire of goor/er. UR represents an over load relay, l) represents a ourient-limit relay or throttle, for causing tlie advance of the main eontroller to be under the eontrol of the Current and E represents a battery for energiningftlie control circuits.

The lain controller, w iieli I have designated .l as shown in Fig. 3, consists ol a ills slioe l *which they assume when all eii'euits are de ed. Assuming now that it is desired the the switches 84k and 35 Closed switch 3llieing eloserl on its r; id con 'llie closure oi the switch 35 eneigiees pote tiel relay E having contacts 3T/ and 38 from the trolley T to the dingA of tiie relay, through resistance 7* to biidgine1 Contact 36 on the .main con troll and' thence to ground. l'fv non', the

controller Mil' is moved to the first positioin a? the reversing Switch will be operated by the enereization olE the eleetromagnet )F incase the reverser should be in the shown, however, the i lett in the loiwaifd position Ure is no change with reference to t The line breakerv LB now eine from the battery, the eondiictor 39, the Contact l0 on i conductor Lll, Contact 3T ventiel relay and eontaet?" on the relay, through contacts on the reversinv sn'itoli and the master controller beek to the 'n jy". I'llie line breaker therefore closes but does not close the motor circuit. The lin-e breaker is provided with two interlocking Contacte l2 and Llf3. The closing oi'j' the oiiteet by the Closing' of the line lr 'i the rnagiietizing winding ietio Valve 28, which l shall ie den nwenet, the eiieiiit being 'from tliroii li the interlocking Contact inlerlocline' Contact 42, Winding oro-l1 interlocking contacts 38 e batte/ijY through the niaslie energiaation oi the on izvliile ott magnet valve 29 is the earn slia'it to more understood from a con ll. patent to Case 1,412,esc

1,221,676, previously referred to. This has the effect of closing the contacts 11 and 15 through the agency of Ithe cam 17. The motor circuit will now be closed from the trolley T through the switch 35 and theC ing F, through the resistance R', Rz, con' tacts 11 and 15, resistances R and R4, through thetwo sections of field Winding F and the contacts on the reversing switch, armature A', thence to the series coil 57 of the throttle or relay D and to ground. The closing of the motor circuit ytherefore is effected at the contacts 11 and 15 of one of the unit switches. The motors will now run in series with all the resistance incircuit.

When the master controlleris movedto position b, the line breaker LB will be closed, the circuit being from battery, through wire 47, interlocking contact 48, interlocking contact 43 on line breaker LB, through the contacts 58 controlled by the throttle magnet D and through one of the contacts G on the main` controller, thence to the master controller and back to the battery. Line breaker LB will therefore close and short-circuit the resistance R and in closing energize the off magnet of the electromagnetic valve 29, through the contacts 49. The energi'zation of the off magnet causes the cam shaft to move a second step and the'cam 50 to close the contacts 51, and short-circuit' the two sections of resistance R and R2.

Upon the cutting out of each of the resistance sections R, R and R2 the motor current rises so that the throttle D will open the contacts 58 to prevent the controller being moved another step until the current drops to the proper value. Itwill be noted that when the controller starts to take a step, it will complete the step 'notwithstanding the fact that the throttle contacts through which the off magnet was energized are opened before the completion of the step. This is accomplished by the arrangement of contacts G and H which rotate with the cam Shaft. The off magnet is energized through one of the contacts G and the throttle contacts 58 but as soon as the controller has started, circuit is made for the off magnet independently of the throttle contacts through one of the contacts H. This makes a circuit in parallel with the circuits through the throttle contacts, this parallel circuit being through contacts 38 and 4A on the potentialk relay B and overload relay OR respectively. The coil 56 is included in this circuit to assist the series coil and make the throttle more sensitive to changes of current. It is advisable that the advanceof the controller be momentarily retarded at each operative position so as to prevent too rapid acceleration `and prevent the controller moving through an operative position and causing a heavy rush of current at the next operative position. To take care of this, I insure that the current limit throttle will open its contacts 58 while the controller is moving from one step to another during acceleration. The shunt coil 56 cooperating with the series coil 57 will positively open the contacts 58 of the throttle D during the transition from one step to another, and then the throttle will close after the step is completed, responsively to the motor current. Furthermore, by means of this coil 56 the throttle D need only be calibrated for its drop out value, since the contacts 58 will be positively opened during the transition from one step to the other. The throttle may therefore o en, but the movement of the cam shaft wil not be interrupted until the circuit is interrupted at contact H and established on the second contact G, which, it will be-observed, will be when the controller has completed a step to position b. If, therefore, the current has not dropped to the proper value when the cam shaft has completed its step, it cannot take another step until the current does drop so as to energize the ofi magnet through thethrottle contacts 58. When the current does drop to a proper value, the off magnet will again be energized to cause the cam shaft to take another step which short-circuits the resistance R3 through cam 50.`

52, is offset from the others so as to interruptv the circuit of the off magnet through both sets of contacts G and H. In order to progress further, it is necessary for the master controller to bemoved to position c in which the off magnet is energized through the contacts 53, on the master controller, and the contact 52 which engages with contact finger 54. The movement of the master controller to the position c, therefore, causes the cam shaft to take one step (to position 0') which changes the motor connections from full series with tapped or weakened field, which is the highest speed position in series, to the parallel position. When this posi-tion is reached, the progression is stopped by reason of the fact that the contact 54 passes over the` contact 52. In order to progress further, it is necessary that the master controller be moved to the position d, in whichthe off magnet will be again energized in the regular way and the cam shaft moved forward step by step in the manner above described under the control of the throttle, until the iull parallel position is reached.

The main controller will be returned. to 'the ofi osition at any time by the deenergizw tion o the on and oil magnets controlling the electromagnetic valves 28 and 29, respectively. If the power should fail, even for an instant, the potential relay will drop thereby deenergizing the on magnet at the contact rela 38 of the relay. It will be noted that tiis potential relay is energized and 'picked up through resistance r and the contact 36 in the oli position of the main controller, but that as soon as the controller moves from olf l position the resistance r is cut into the circuit so as toreduce the current to a value which will maintain the relay closed but prevents it from picking up again in case it drops out,

until the controller is returned to the off position.

The reverser is also iiiterlocked with the main controller at contact L t0 so that the valve magnets ji and r can only be energized in the oft position of the controller. The opening of the potential relay causes thev opening of the line breaker LB which in turn causes the opening of the line breaker LB and causes another break in the circuit of the on.magnet so that the controller will be returned to olf position.

I shall now describe the operation ol the throttle or notching relay D whereby, in case the motor current is in excess of the value at which the throttle D is set to opcrate so as to open the contacts 58 and thereby arrest the further progression of the main controller M, an additional step may be taken despite the operation of the tlirot tle, in opening up the contacts 58. It will be understood that in Fig. 3 the throttle D is shown very diagrammatically for the purpose of an easy understanding ot my invention. Let it be assumed that the motor current at the first step a is in excess of the dropout value o'fgthe throttle D, that the contacts 58 are therefore held open, and that it is desired to take another step irrespective of the operation of the throttle. By closing the normally open push'button 59 the coil 60 of the notching relay will be energized :trom the battery E throu h a circuit including the master switch C. The armature 6l will thereby be moved against its bias so as to make engagement with the extension 62 on the armature 69 of the throttle. The contacts 58 will thereupon be short-circuited through a 'circuit including the armature 89, the extension `62, the hook 64 on the armature 6i, the armature 61, the armature (i5 and thecontacts 66. The olf magnet is thereupon energied and the controller will. advance one complete step and `thereupon arrested from further move-v ment, since the coil 56 and the coil 67 which are in series will be energized at one of the contacts H, and the contacts 66 will be thereby opened, lthus deenergizing the electromagnet 29 of the oil' magnet valve. The `further advance of the controller is then arrested and the automatic progression will not begin as long as the push button 59 is held closed. Another step can be taken by releasing and then depressing the push button 59. However, but one step at a time can be taken for the reason that when the coil 67 is energized through one of the contacts H as the controller is advanced from one step to the next, and if the push button 59 is held closed throughout this .entire step, the contacts 66 will remain openV even though the coil 67 is deenergized after the controller has finished the step, since a part of the. magnetic flux set up by the coil 60 will have a path through the armature 65, the core associated with the coil 67 and the plate 75, and this flux will be of sufficient strength to hold the armature in its attracted position at which the contacts 66 are held open, control must therefore be temporarily restored to the current limit device before the progression can continue. The operator may likewise cause the controller to be advanced one position at a time in any ol' the other operative ositions until the full parallel relation o the driving motors is established.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my invention is likewise useful where it is desired to take a single motor accelerating step at any time, regardless of whether the motor current is above or below the diop-out value of the current limit throttle. In other words, by means of my arrangement, full automatic control or full manual control may be had for all or at any point lin the control, as desired. Furthermore, if the line switches are deenergized so that the main motor circuits will not be energized, invention provides means whereby the motor control circuits can easii he checked up, the motor controller h ig advanced step by step by depressing the releasing push button 59 in the manner previously explained.

In accordance with-the provisions of the patent statutes, l have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but l desire to have it understood that the aratus shown is only illustrative and can be carried out by he invention other means.

'illliat l'l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is tl. T he combination with a controller for i of a current limit starting electric motors,

causing a step by step advance device for device for causing a step further step y y 'i control of the motor acceleration to the curthe motor current of thev controller under `the V'control of thel 2. The combination with a controller for4 starting electric motors, of a current limit device for causing a step by step advance' of the controller under the control of the motor current, means whereby after a step has been begunthe advance of the controller'is rendeled independent of the current limit device, and manually controlled means for causing the controller to begin a step independently of the current 'limit device and after the step has been completed, preventing the taking of further steps until the operator temporarily restores the control to the current limit device by the operation of said manually` controlled means.

3. The combination with .a controller for starting electric motors, of a current limit by step advance of the controller under the control of the motor current, manually controlled means for causingathe controller vt0 begin a vstep independently of the current limit device, and means for preventingthe' taking of a untll the operator restores the rent limit device b the operation of said manually controllec means.

4. The combination with, a controller fon startingrelectric motors, of a current limit device for causing a step by step advance of the controller under'the' control of the motor current,rmeans whereb after a step has been'begun the advance o the controller is rendered independent of the .current limit device, manually controlled means for caus ing the controller to begin a step independently of the current limit device', and an electromagnet energized during the taking of the step for preventingthe taking of a further step until the control of the motor acceleration has been temporarilyrestored to the current limit' deviceQ Q y 5. The combination in a current limit device having means energized-responsively'to for arresting the step by step acceleration ofthe motor until the`motor-current has dropped to al predetermined value, of manually controlledmeans for renf dering ineifective the said means` energized responsively to the motor current 'sol as to permit a step to be taken at the will of the operator regardless of the value of the motor current, and means for preventing the takingof a further step until the operator restores control of the motoracceleration to vtrolnagnet energized during the.. said means energized responsively to the motor current. y

6. The combination in a current llimit device of an electromagnet energized responsively to the motor current and contactscony trolled thereby for arresting the automatic step by step acceleration of the electric motor until the motor current has dropI d to a predetermined value, a second ellctro` magnet and means controlled thereby for short circuiting the said contacts to permit a single acceleration step to be taken at the will ofthe operator regardless of the motor current, and means whereby after such a step has'been taken the taking of further steps is automatically arrested until the operator restores control of the motor acceleration to the said electromagnet energized responsively to themotor current. o

'7. The combination in a current limit device of an electromagnet energized responsively to the motor current having means for l arresting the automatic step by step acceleration of the electric motor until the current has dropped lto a predetermined value, a manually4 controlled electromagnet having means whereby the energization of this electromagnet permits a single acceleration step to be taken at the will of the operator regardless of the value of the motor current,

and means whereby after such a step has been taken the taking of further steps is automatically arrested until the said manilallyv controlled electromagnet lis. deenergized. i 8. The combination ina current limit device having means energized responsively to the motorA current fork arresting-the step by step acceleration of the motor. until the mo-1 tor current has droppedlto a predetermined value, of manually controlled means for rendering ineifective the said means energized responsively to the motor current so as to permit a step to be taken at the will of the operator regardless of the value of thema"- tor current, and anelect'romagnet 'energized duringthe taking of thestep for vprevena. ing the `taking of a furtherk stepl until til# control has been restored to the' said means energized responsively to the motor current.

9.` The Vcombination in a current limit throttle for causingv a step by step accelera tion of an' electric motor, of a manually con trolled electromagnet energized atlthe will oil the operator for holding open the throttle contacts and establishing a. short circuit around the samevso as to cause astep to'be .taken independently of the throttle, an electhe taking of theJ step for opening the saidshort circuit` around the throttle contacts, whereby after the step has,` been taken a further step can- 'not' be taken until the operator temporarily deenergizes the manually controlled electrollt.4

magnet to restore the control'to the throttle.

10. 'In a system ,of control, the combinationl with a dynamo-electric machine, and means includin automatic series of operating steps ofvsaid lmachine, of means embodying va plurality of vsuccessively energized coils and adapted to be substituted for said relaydeviceldlirfV ing inoperative conditions 'thereof to `effect on y one o erating step irrespective of vthe duration vo use of said subs'titutingmeans.V 'i' 11.4 Ina system of control,4 the combina tion with 4a ldynamo-electric' machine,gand` ,means for effecting a series of voperating steps of Said machine, of a relaydevice for conditions and further dependent upon such operation for nullifying the initial action of the device to positivelyl prevent said firstnamed means from ta 'ng more than one step.

12. In a system of control, the combination,

with a dynamo-electric machine, and control means for el'ectin4 a series of operating steps of said mac ine, of a, relay device energized in accordance with the machine current and having a plurality of contact members for automatically7 rendering said control means operative under normal condtimis, and a second relayl device having a plurality of normally de-energized actuatin coils and armatures therefor, one'of` said coilsbeing dependent'. upon an external agency for creating a ma netic -iiux instru- `mental in v'substitutii'i t e 4( iorresponding armature in a 'circuit' yridgin said contact members andk a second coil being dependent upon the lconsequent operation of said cona current relay for ei'ectinganA and a second coil being depen trol means for creating an additional 4flux 'I to actuatetlie corresponding armature to interrupt said substitution circuit and arrest suchA operation `after one step has -been taken.

13. The combination with a circuit'havng af' ga and control means governed by. closing t el gap in said circui,t, of a relay device dependeiit`- upon an external agency for 'creating a magnetic flux instrumental in 'connectin parts ofthe device across said -gap and ependent upon the consequent operation of saidcontrol means for creating an additional fiux to interrupt saidconnection and prevent the operation of said control means beyond a certain sta e. 14. The combination wit ing a gap, and control means` governed by closing the gap in said circuit,of a relay device having a plurality of normally deenergized actuating coils and armatures therefor, one of said coils being dependent upon an external agency fol" creating a magnetic fiux instrumental in substituting the corres onding armature in a circuit .brid ing sai gap dent upon the consequent operation of said control means for creating an additional flux to actuate the corresponding amature to interrupt said jbridging circuit and arrest such operation at' a certain point.

15. A relay device comprising a plurality of solenoids, cooperatin armatures severally having' fulcrums, a p urality of terminal members for engaging the respective armatures under different conditions of the solenoids, and means for biasin one of said armatures out of contact with the corresponding terminal member. .In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of June, 1919.

i JOHN F. TRITLE. 

